Performance product

ABSTRACT

Glycerol may be placed into liquid form and consumed as a pre-workout or pump product to increase hydration during exercise. Liquid-based glycerol products may embrace the hygroscopic properties associated with glycerol by delivering glycerol in a liquid form that is more compatible and complementary to these physical properties. A liquid suspension of a glycerol-based product may overcome the hygroscopic disadvantages experienced with glycerol when provided in a powder form, chiefly poor mixing, instability during storage, shipping or packaging, as well as dosing limitations.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.62/623,650 filed Jan. 30, 2018 and entitled “Performance Product,” thedisclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to liquid performance products,and more specifically, liquid performance products in the form ofglycerol pre-workout or pump products.

BACKGROUND

There are many nutritional supplement products that fall into thecategory of “pump” products. A muscle pump occurs when fluid fills upthe muscle cells. Pump products are marketed to assist performance andappearance during exercise, and their use may be associated with asubjective feeling of tightness in the muscle group that is beingexercised. This is a key characteristic of “pump” as referred to in thenutritional supplement industry and athletic community.

Glycerol (1,2,3-propanetriol) is the backbone of fats known astriglycerides, and glycerol is the part of triglycerides that is notstored as fat. Rather, the liver converts glycerol to glucose for use asfuel for the body. Glycerol has been used by runners and other enduranceathletes because it is a hydrating agent with strong osmotic properties,thereby allowing athletes to increase their body fluid content andmaintain it for longer to boost exercise performance. Glycerol has beenmarketed as a pump product, but it has only been used in powder form.This has several disadvantages. Glycerol is highly hygroscopic, whichcan result in handling and storage issues. As the concentration and timeincreases, there may be more powder clumping. Further, because of thisphysical property, most formulations are limited by total amount (up to2 g/dose), resulting in sub-therapeutic dosing as compared to studiedtherapeutic doses.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a stable liquidformulation of glycerol for use as a nutritional supplement pre-workoutor pump product. Liquid glycerol according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be provided in a ready-to-drink serving or as a pumpshot.

Other embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a method forproducing a liquid glycerol formulation, the method comprising:processing glycerol to micronize the glycerol in solution, therebyincreasing homogeneity of the glycerol in solution; and combining theglycerol in solution with one or more emulsifying agents. The glycerolmay be processed using a high shear pump or homogenizer. The one or moreemulsifying agents may be selected from the group comprising: agar,albumin, alginates, casein, egg yolk, glycerol monostearate, gums,animal fat, vegetable oil, lecithin, soy lecithin, and sunflowerlecithin. The one or more emulsifying agents may be selected based onone or more factors selected from the group comprising: size of adesired molecular structure, desired texture, and desired flavor. Themethod may further comprise adding one more flavorings to the glycerolin solution. The method also may further comprise adding one or moreingredients to perform performance. The one or more ingredients may beselected from the group comprising: sodium nitrate, creatine, caffeine,stem ingredients, amino acids, and hydration-related ingredients. Theone or more ingredients may be sodium nitrate to improve performance asa pump shot. The one or more ingredients may be creatine and/or caffeineto improve performance as a pre-workout product. The method also mayinclude adding the emulsion of glycerol to a pre-workout product or pumpshot.

Further embodiments of the present disclosure may include a liquidglycerol formulation for use as a nutritional supplement pre-workout orpump product, the formulation comprising: micronized glycerol insolution; one or more emulsifying agents, the one or more emulsifyingagents selected from the group comprising: agar, albumin, alginates,casein, egg yolk, glycerol monostearate, gums, animal fat, vegetableoil, lecithin, soy lecithin, and sunflower lecithin; and one or moreingredients to perform performance, the one or more ingredients selectedfrom the group comprising: sodium nitrate, creatine, caffeine, stemingredients, amino acids, and hydration-related ingredients.

Additional embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a liquidglycerol formulation for use as a nutritional supplement pre-workout orpump product, the formulation comprising: micronized glycerol insolution; and one or more emulsifying agents that encapsulate theglycerol to form an emulsion of glycerol, wherein the emulsion ofglycerol may remain in liquid form, thereby retaining the hygroscopicproperties of the glycerol and increasing hydration when delivered asthe nutritional supplement pre-workout or pump product. The one or moreemulsifying agents may be selected from the group comprising: agar,albumin, alginates, casein, egg yolk, glycerol monostearate, gums,animal fat, vegetable oil, lecithin, soy lecithin, and sunflowerlecithin. The formulation may further comprise one more flavorings addedto the glycerol in solution. The formulation also may comprise one ormore ingredients to perform performance, the one or more ingredientsselected from the group comprising: sodium nitrate, creatine, caffeine,stem ingredients, amino acids, and hydration-related ingredients. Theone or more ingredients may be sodium nitrate to improve performance asa pump shot. The one or more ingredients may be creatine and/or caffeineto improve performance as a pre-workout product. The emulsion ofglycerol may be added to a pre-workout product or pump shot.

Other technical features may be readily apparent to one skilled in theart from the following figures, descriptions and claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a stable liquidformulation of glycerol for use as a nutritional supplement pre-workoutor a “pump” product. It may be provided in a full ready-to-drink servingor as a pump shot that may be provided in a smaller single servingbottle or container.

Glycerol is a sugar alcohol that contains three hydroxyl groups. Thesethree hydroxyl groups provide for extreme solubility. By consumingglycerol as a pre-workout or pump product, this may increase hydrationduring exercise. Liquid-based glycerol products according to embodimentsof the present disclosure may embrace the hygroscopic propertiesassociated with glycerol by delivering glycerol in a liquid form that ismore compatible and complementary to these physical properties. Morespecifically, according to embodiments of the present disclosure, aliquid suspension of a glycerol-based product may overcome thehygroscopic disadvantages experienced with glycerol when provided in apowder form, chiefly poor mixing, instability during storage, shippingor packaging, as well as dosing limitations.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, a liquid glycerol formulationmay be provided. Glycerol may be processed through a high shear pump orhomogenizer to micronize the glycerol in solution and increase thehomogeneity of the product in solution. By sending the glycerol througha high shear pump or homogenizer, this may encapsulate the glycerol byusing an emulsifier such as soy or sunflower lecithin, thereby improvinghow the glycerol may be absorbed when ingested by a user. By suspendingglycerol in an emulsion, the glycerol is not further diluted, and thus,the hydrophilic properties may remain strong. The emulsion of glycerolmay then be added into another product if desired.

The glycerol once placed in solution may then be combined with one ormore emulsifying agents to aid in mixing according to some embodimentsof the present disclosure. Emulsifying agents may include, but are notlimited to, agar, albumin, alginates, casein, egg yolk, glycerolmonostearate, gums, animal fat, vegetable oil, lecithin, andcombinations thereof. It should be appreciated that emulsifying agentsmay be selected depending on various factors including, but not limitedto, the size of the molecular structure desired, the texture desired,and the flavor desired in the resultant product.

In embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more flavorings and/orother ingredients may be added to the glycerol in solution to form anefficacious and palatable serving of liquid glycerol. Other ingredientsmay include those that may improve performance as a pre-workout or pumpproduct including, but not limited to, sodium nitrate, creatine andcaffeine. It should be appreciated that sodium nitrate may be added to apump shot, while creatine and caffeine may be added to a pre-workoutproduct in embodiments of the present disclosure. In addition, stemingredients, amino acids, or other hydration-related ingredients may beincorporated into formulations according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure.

Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been describedin detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutionsand alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, compositionof matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Asone of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from thedisclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter,means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developedthat perform substantially the same function or achieve substantiallythe same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may beutilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appendedclaims are intended to include within their scope such processes,machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for producing a liquid glycerolnutritional supplement pump shot for oral consumption, the methodconsisting of: processing glycerol with a high-shear pump orhomogenizer; combining the glycerol with one or more emulsifying agents;and adding sodium nitrate and optionally one or more flavorings to thecombination of the glycerol and the one or more emulsifying agents toform the nutritional supplement pump shot for oral consumption.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the one or more emulsifying agents areselected from the group consisting of agar, albumin, alginates, casein,egg yolk, glycerol monostearate, gums, animal fat, vegetable oil,lecithin, soy lecithin, and sunflower lecithin.
 3. A method forproducing a liquid glycerol nutritional supplement pre-workout productfor oral consumption, the method consisting of: processing glycerol witha high-shear pump or homogenizer; combining the glycerol with one ormore emulsifying agents; and adding creatine and/or caffeine andoptionally one or more flavorings to the combination of the glycerol insolution and the one or more emulsifying agents to form the nutritionalsupplement pre-workout product for oral consumption.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, wherein the one or more emulsifying agents are selected fromthe group consisting of agar, albumin, alginates, casein, egg yolk,glycerol monostearate, gums, animal fat, vegetable oil, lecithin, soylecithin, and sunflower lecithin.